Institutional investor demand and corporate adoption may push Bitcoin higher despite recession fears.

Investors’ belief that the US Federal Reserve will hold rates favors Bitcoin price upside.

Stock markets around the world responded positively to the temporary suspension of import tariffs between the United States and the European Union, with the S&P 500 rising 1.5% on May 27. However, concerns over a global economic recession are persisting, which may put a lid on Bitcoin’s upside, especially since the baseline US import rates have been raised for most regions.

Investors' belief that the US Federal Reserve will hold rates favors Bitcoin price upside

Traders currently estimate a 41% chance that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) will keep interest rates through September, a steep increase from just 2% one month ago.

Usually, a higher cost for capital is bearish for risk-on assets like Bitcoin. But in this context, it also suggests potential liquidity injections from the Fed, given the unfavorable US fiscal outlook, where government spending exceeds revenue capacity.

President Donald Trump has been calling for lower interest rates, but Fed Chair Jerome Powell is showing no urgency due to a strong labor market and rising inflation pressures, whether driven by tariffs or easy lending conditions. This tension helps explain why the S&P 500 has struggled to regain its February all-time high of 6,147 and why Bitcoin’s upside has also been limited.

Bitcoin’s current market capitalization of $2.2 trillion now surpasses that of Google and Meta, which partly explains the $112,000 resistance level. Yet, it would be surprising if Bitcoin completely detaches from traditional markets; its 30-day correlation with the S&P 500 has remained above 70% for the past four weeks. As such, if equities enter a bear market, Bitcoin is likely to face some downside as well.

Companies are currently reporting earnings for the first quarter, a period that predates the escalation of the trade war. As a result, the stock market may take longer to reflect the full negative impact, even as macroeconomic indicators show signs of contraction. The 6.3% drop in US durable goods orders in April, reported on May 27, could be the first signal of a weakening economy.

However, even if cooperate earnings for Q1 fall short of expectations, this does not automatically mean the S&P 500 will suffer significantly. In fact, disappointing results could open the door for faster interest rate cuts, which tend to benefit companies by lowering financing costs and potentially stimulating consumer demand.

Trump Media joins the party as Bitcoin's appeal grows

On a broader note, the risk profile of Bitcoin appears to be improving, especially after Trump Media and Technology Group announced plans to invest in BTC following a $2.5 billion mix of debt and equity financing to launch a new social media platform. “We view Bitcoin as an apex instrument of financial freedom,” Trump Media CEO Devin Nunes said, according to Reuters, adding that the company is exploring opportunities in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. This development suggests that Bitcoin’s trajectory toward $112,000 is not solely tied to broader economic growth but also to emerging opportunities in alternative financial and technological domains.

The growing institutional and corporate interest in Bitcoin is adding a new dimension to its market behavior. While macroeconomic trends and correlations with traditional assets still matter, Bitcoin is increasingly being framed as a strategic asset with utility beyond speculation. As such, its performance could diverge, at least partially, from that of equities, especially as adoption broadens among influential companies and investors.

While the stock market may remain sensitive to macro data and earnings surprises, Bitcoin’s upside potential appears to hinge on a combination of monetary policy, institutional positioning, and its emerging role as a hedge against systemic financial risk.